Last Friday, I got to spend the day with financial expert and guru Dave Ramsey. It was his one-day EntreLeadership program and it was well worth the investment of time and money to attend.

I’ve been through his Financial Peace program (and loved it) and had heard from a couple of folks that they got lots from EntreLeadership, so I decided to treat myself to a ticket.

About halfway through the morning, I knew I had to share some of what I learned here with you. Some of this is straight from Dave, some of it has my editorial on it. Either way, I hope you get something good from these nuggets!

What I learned from EntreLeadership:

If you’re a Leader, act like it! Behave with integrity. Be authentic and inspiring. Be a role model and a mentor. If you’re not this, you suck as a Leader.

A Leader inspires others. An entrepreneur takes risk. An EntreLeader causes a venture to grow and prosper.

Your nonprofit will never grow beyond the skills of your Leaders. Organizations are limited only by their Leaders.

You cannot lead without passion. You must care about the work your organization is doing and engage others in that passion.

Passivity is NOT an option. Make bold decisions and move forward. If you don’t make the decision, it will be made for you.

Stagnation will not move your nonprofit forward.

Indecision is made by fear. Indecision is the greatest thief of opportunity.

Set goals and follow them. If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.

Don’t ask your team to set goals when you have none.

Individual team members can’t have goals dictated to them; instead help the team develop their own goals.

Until you value yourself, you won’t value your time. Until yu value your time, you won’t do anything with it.

If you’ve been through Dave’s EntreLeadership program, I’d love to hear what you thought about it. Leave a comment and share.

Don’t you love the start of a new year?  It’s like having a crisp, clean page ready for you to create anything you can dream up.

I hope by now you’ve got some fundraising goals set for the year. (If not, you better get busy!).  Have you set BIG goals?  You should.  Nonprofits that will be successful in 2012 are thinking BIG.  They aren’t being dissuaded by the economy or negative Board members.  They are focused on what’s possible, not what’s impossible. And they WILL be successful!

So, what’s your BIG goal this year?  Try this exercise:  Write down the amount of money you want to raise this year (like $150,000).  Then add a zero at the end (now it’s $1,500,000).  What would you have to do different to raise that kind of money?  You’d sure have to think different, wouldn’t you?  You’d need to get serious about the systems in your office, organize your volunteers, and focus on some major donors.

Now apply that level of big-picture thinking to your goals for 2012.  Feel more doable?  I thought so.

If you need a word of encouragement, please leave a comment here on the blog or better yet, post on my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/getfullyfunded) and let me know how I can support you.   I’m happy to remind you of all the reasons why you CAN be successful this year and keep you thinking BIG!

As we look to a new year, it’s time to start thinking about what 2012 might hold for us. Will the new year hold more of the same or will things be different?

I don’t think it really matters what the new year brings. The more important question to ask is ‘what will you do?’

Over the past few years, many nonprofits have faced a withering economy, nervous Boards, and more demand for services. The organizations that are flourishing (and yes, some are doing great!) have been proactive and purposeful about fundraising. I have several clients who have had their best years ever in 2010 and 2011.

Here’s what I see vibrant nonprofits doing in 2012.

Take fundraising seriously. Nonprofits that will raise big money in 2012 will take fundraising seriously. They won’t put it on the back burner to deal with ‘more important things.’ They’ll have a written plan of how they’ll communicate with their donors and prospects, and they’ll treat their donors as partners in their work, not as ATMs. They’ll be proactive, not reactive. And they’ll be successful.

Invest in themselves. Nonprofits that will raise big money in 2012 will spend money on training. Even with tight budgets, they’ll find a way to send staff to workshops or webinars. They know that their organization is only as strong as their staff, and to keep their skills sharp, they’ll focus on continuing education.

Invest in their Board. Nonprofits that will raise seriously big money in 2012 will invest in training for their Board. They know that they’ll need their Board in tip-top shape to help reach more people in the community, especially key supporters. Without training, their Board might now be willing or have the know-how to make these important connections. Seriously successful organizations know that a little training can go a long way with a Board.

Unwilling to accept mediocrity. Nonprofits that will have their biggest year ever in 2012 will be unwilling to accept mediocrity. They will demand (and get) the best from their Board, their staff, and their volunteers. Together, they will improve their service delivery, they’ll learn to be excellent at telling their story, and they will engage people in their work. And they will be successful. They’ll help more people and they’ll raise more money than ever before. They’ll see themselves as a vital part of the community, changing lives for the better.

As you look forward into 2012, remember this: it doesn’t matter so much what the year brings. What matters is what you do with it.

“All you need is 20 seconds of insane courage, and I promise you something great will come of it.”

This is a line from a new movie called “We Bought a Zoo.”  I saw the preview weeks ago and I can’t get that phrase out of my head.  Maybe because I’m wrestling with a few fears right now and I keep thinking about what difference 20 seconds of insane courage would make.

If you think about it, we have lots of fears: fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of (fill in the blank).  As nonprofit Fundraisers, we have lots of fears too, like

• Fear of asking for a gift and being told “no.”
• Fear of not making our campaign goals.
• Fear of not making budget.
• Fear of what our friends will think if we ask them to support our cause.
• Fear of not being accepted and approved of by our boss or our Board.
• Fear of offending our donors by sending too many appeal letters.
• Fear of wasting money by trying something new.
• Fear of trying something like Facebook or mobile giving because we don’t understand it.

Fear is just worrying about what might happen.  It’s all in our head and can be overcome by a number of techniques.  Right now, the one that’s working for me is to think about what I can do with 20 seconds of insane courage.  In the past few days, I’ve overcome my fears and made things happen because of that.

If you are a Fraidy Cat, and you hide behind your fears, don’t expect to be successful in fundraising.  If you want to get serious about raising big money for your nonprofit, you must work through your fears.  I’ve heard it said that your organization is only as strong as the people who work there, and I believe it.  So, to raise more money, you have to learn to put your fears aside and do what must be done.

What can YOU do with 20 seconds of insane courage?  Can you pick up the phone and make an appointment with a donor?  Can you push on toward a campaign goal?  Can you plan fundraising campaigns now event though naysayers advise against it?

I’d love to know what you think, and if you decide to use the 20 seconds, what happens for you!  Be sure to come back here and share.

One person can make a big difference in the lives of others.  You know that.  You see it every day in your nonprofit.  Today I want to share a story about being on the receiving end of the difference one person makes.

If you’ve followed me for very long, you know I live on a little farm with horses in my backyard.  We LOVE our horses.  They’re part of our family and we spend time with them every day (even if we don’t ride nearly as much as we’d like).  I didn’t have horses growing up, but like most little girls, always dreamed of having my own pony.  Somehow my dream didn’t turn out exactly like I’d planned - I ride an overweight, grouchy Appaloosa named Harley.  Don’t recall that in the dream, but I digress.

Last June, my daughter’s beautiful gray Arabian got sick and died.  It was a gut-wrenching 24 hours watching him pass away, trying everything we could, with nothing helping. It really tore us up.  Even now, all these months later, she and I can get teary-eyed talking about him. He was special and we miss him.

A couple of months ago, she started talking about getting another horse.  And being the beautiful person she is, she wanted to get one from a rescue group if at all possible.  We’re lucky enough to have Horse Haven of Tennessee close to us, and since Kristen and I have both volunteered with them before, it was a logical place to start.

The thing about getting a rescued horse is that you don’t really know what you’re going to get. You have no idea if the horse has been ridden or beaten or what. We were prepared to invest a little money in training if the right horse came along. The day we visited in November they had just received an emaciated red dun quarter horse from a humane society in the next county.  This horse and 2 others had been taken out of a situation where they’d had no food and little water for quite a while. By the time they were rescued, they were all in very bad shape. This horse was lucky – his two pasture mates didn’t make it.  At Horse Haven, he received great care, lots of food, and plenty of love from the dozens of volunteers who come twice a day to feed and check on the herd.  When we met him in November, we were struck by his gentle spirit. Our only question – was he broke to ride?  We needed a horse that was ridable.  Kristen really wanted one she could practice on and develop her riding skills with. Broke was definitely a requirement!

Turns out, this guy has lots of training under his belt.  He’s very responsive to leg commands (which for you non-horsey people means she can put a little pressure on him with her leg and he’ll respond by moving over or going faster).  We were so excited!!  Last Saturday, we visited Horse Haven and she rode him, but it didn’t go very well.  It was like they were speaking two different languages.  The commands and cues she gave him didn’t seem to mean anything to him and he just did whatever, which was kind of scary for her and me!

We left with Kristen in tears, frustrated with the experience and unsure if this was the right horse.  I hated it – I’d felt a connection with this horse from the moment we met him and was sure we were supposed to bring him home.  Lord knows when this guy had been ridden last and what all he had been through since then.  After lots of discussion and sleeping on it, Kristen wanted to try again to ride him, so yesterday, we gave it one more shot.  And he was perfect!  It was like he knew this was his chance to have a young girl of his own and he didn’t want to miss it.  He moved when she asked him to, he stopped when she asked him to, and the whole time he was as gentle as he could be.

So, later this afternoon, he’ll be coming home to live with us!  And we can’t wait!

What’s the difference one person makes?  Nina Margetson made a big difference when she decided to start Horse Haven of Tennessee many years ago.  She saw a need to step in and take care of abused and neglected horses, so she did.  Sonja Cowsert made a big difference when she decided to hop on this horse on Monday afternoon to see what his deal was. She’s an experienced rider and trainer, and in a matter of minutes, reminded him about working with a rider.  I think that’s what made the difference between Kristen’s experience on Saturday and the one yesterday. Both of these ladies made a difference to this horse, me, and my daughter.  And we’re only one success story they’ve cranked out.  In fact, our horse isn’t the only one going home today.

It’s been awesome being on the receiving end of the dedication of others. I’ve spent so much time on the giving end, that I forgot how wonderful it is to receive. I’m overwhelmed with the gratitude I feel for the folks who work tirelessly at Horse Haven to take care of these animals who can’t speak for themselves. I wish I was a millionaire so I could make a big gift to help them keep up the good work, but I’m not so I can’t. But what I can do is share my story with you to help spread the word about the amazing work they’re doing.

Never doubt that what you do makes a difference. It does.

Oh, and you can learn more about Horse Haven and check out their website at www.horsehaventn.org.

Did you know that most donors check out your website before they make a gift – whether they are giving on line or through the mail?  A recent study found that potentially up to 50% of your donors are going to check you out online before they give, whether they give online or not.  

Couple that with the fact that the last week of the year is THE BIGGEST week for online donations, and it’s time to give your website a little tune-up.

Your website’s purpose is to provide an online resource for donors and prospects about the work your nonprofit is doing.  You might also use it to recruit volunteers, communicate with clients, and more, but be sure that its main purpose is education about your mission and your work.

Here are some things to help you maximize online giving this year.

1. Make it user-friendly.  Your website needs to be clean and easy to navigate.  People are very impatient online, and if your website looks too hard to wade through, people will go elsewhere.  Make it very easy for people to find what they’re looking for.

2. Make it sticky. Include lots of juicy info that your donor will be interested in.  Tell stories about the people you’re helping.  Highlight a few ket statistics of your cause.  Write short bits that your website visitor will be captivated by.  If your website contains lots of long paragraphs about your organization, donors won’t stick around.  They aren’t interested in your organization – they want to know about the people whose lives are being changed by your nonprofit.

3. Make your Donate Now button big and red and in the upper right corner of every page.  People won’t work hard to make a gift, so make it very easy for them.

4. Use simple language and great photos. Dump the acronyms and industry jargon.  Don’t talk about “at-risk populations” or “service recipients.”  Your donors and website visitors won’t know what that means.

5. Tell stories. Tell short, human-interest stories about the people your organization serves.  We want to read about the underdog overcoming adversity or tales that make us believe in the goodness of the world.  Share how your nonprofit is helping to make them happen.

Get these things right and you’ll dramatically increase the online donations you’ll receive this year!

 

 

 

 

The November Nonprofit Blog Carnival is up!  The host is Pamela Grow and she has put together The quintessential guide to giving thanks. It will take a while to read everything in this post, so go on over there and get started.

There’s a piece in there written by yours truly. 

Enjoy!

For those just starting out in fundraising, it can be overwhelming to figure out.  Look around the community and you’ll see lots of different groups doing lots of different things.  But what really works?  And what should you be doing?

Fundraising is about engaging people in the work your nonprofit is doing.  It’s not about selling candy bars or having a golf tournament.  It’s about giving people the chance to make a gift and feel good about it, knowing they are changing lives and making a difference in the world.  This is donor-based fundraising, and it provides long-term sustainability to nonprofit organizations.

Here are 7 simple steps you can take to raise big money for your nonprofit.

1. Make fundraising a priority.  Before you begin, make sure you’re ready to begin.  If you’re going to commit to raising money, be prepared to spend time on it every day for at least 6 months.  You must be organized and prepared when it comes to fundraising. You must have a plan and work it. You can’t be successful if you’re reacting to whatever falls in your lap from day to day.

2. Understand why people give.  People give for lots of different reasons – because they want to help, or they want to give back.  Mostly it’s because someone asked. 

Giving is an emotional act, backed up by logic.  That’s why so many nonprofits understand how to play up the emotional side of their work, to pluck a prospect’s heart strings. When you understand the emotion behind the gifts that come to your organization, you’ll be better able to tell your story and raise big money.

3. Identify the best donor prospect. This may hurt your feelings, but not everyone will care about your mission.  Not everyone will give.  Even if you are very passionate about the work your nonprofit does, not everyone else will be.  So, it’s best to get focused on those people who are likely to care about what your nonprofit is about.  Start by getting clear about who is most likely to support your nonprofit.  What do your current donors or volunteers have in common?  Once you understand your ideal donor prospect, it’s much easier to go find others just like them. 

4. Tell your story. Telling your story is key to fundraising, but what is your story?  It’s who your nonprofit is and what you are doing to change the world.  It’s about the lives you are changing (or saving).  And it must be told in a way that’s easily understandable and meaningful to your ideal donor prospect.  That means you must use simple language, leave out the jargon, and keep it short. When you tell a compelling story, people will take action.  They’ll make a gift or sign up to volunteer.

5. Plan how and when you will ask for a gift. This is the nitty gritty part of fundraising – the fundraising plan! It’s important to set clear, concrete, SMART goals so that you can be successful. After all, if you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there. Plan how, when, who, and what for every fundraising activity you undertake. Be sure to use a variety of strategies to diversify your revenue streams

6. Acknowledge and steward the gift.  This may actually be the most important part of fundraising, yet the part that most nonprofits don’t get right.  And it’s quite simple: Thank your donor promptly, warmly, and sincerely every time.  The most common way to do this is with a thank-you letter. Done well, the thank-you letter accomplishes many things, including building trust with your donor and setting up the next gift.

7. Evaluate success and Get Fully Funded.  Be sure to track where money is being spent, and where money is being raised so that you know what’s working for you. Then continue doing those things that work, and stop doing those that don’t.  This means that you may have to stop doing an annual event because it just isn’t worth the investment of time and money you’re putting into it. 

Once you get the basics in place, fundraising becomes easier, and your confidence will increase with each successful activity.

 

If you’re like most nonprofit folks, you give little thought to your Thank-You letter.  At some point, you wrote the letter, and now you use it for every donor, every time.  You know it isn’t the greatest, but you aren’t sure how to make it better, and you certainly don’t have time to think through it.

Sound familiar?

Then let me give you a wake-up call.  Your Thank-You letter is one of the most important pieces of communication you have with your donors.  Done well, it increases trust and builds relationship.  Not only does it let the donor know you received their gift and are grateful for it, but it send the message to the donor that you are organized and professional.

If you use the same old boring, stale letter, it’s time to take it to the next level.  It’s time to create a Thank-You letter that will stand out from all the other drivel your donor receives. Here are a few tips for creating a next-level Thank-You letter.

1. Keep the letter short but powerful. This is not the time to go on and on about something happening in your organization.  Stay focused on the donor and focused on the gift.  Use your newsletter or another tool to promote your events and other activities.

2. Use the word “you” early and often.  It’s the sweetest word to a donor’s ears and it will help you stay focused on the donor.  Use it in the first sentence then see if you can use “you” in every paragraph in the letter.

3.  Relate your Thank-You letter to the Ask. Instead of sending out a generic letter, customize your Thank-You letter to the specific Ask that was used to generate the gift.  If a gift comes to you from an appeal you sent out, make sure your Thank-You letter refers back to the story or the text in the appeal.  If a gift is given at an event, reference the event and share how much was raised at the event.

You may need to write several different letters that can be used for whatever you have going on.  For instance, you may want to write one letter for a special event you are working on, another one for monthly givers, and another one for donors who respond to your newsletter.  Relating the Thank-You letter back to the ask is a way to let your donors know you are paying attention and that you are organized enough to use their money they way you said you would.

4.  Tell the donor how you will use their money. This is critical.  Make sure the donor knows how you plan to use the donation he or she just sent you. Text like “Your gift will ensure that 15 children will go to summer camp for one week” makes the process of donating more real and tangible to the donor.  They can envision 15 kids going to camp for a week and it helps create a bigger feeling of satisfaction for the donor.

5.  Include an offer to tour your facility or program site. Always include in your letter an offer for a guided tour of your facility or program site (if appropriate).  You may never have anyone take you up on this, but they will remember that you offered.  You will probably get a few people who want to visit you.  Seeing firsthand the work that you do may make all the difference in the world to a particular donor.  It can also mean the difference in an average size gift and a major gift.

I remember one particular donor who came for a tour of my organization with his wife.  They had always been good givers and usually gave about $10,000 a year.  They were so impressed by the tour that they wrote a check on the spot for an additional $15,000!

I encourage you to take the time this holiday season to have a fresh look at your Thank-You letter and do what you can to spruce it up and take it to the next level.  I think you’ll be very pleased with the results!

You’ve likely heard the saying that you get one chance to make a first impression.  The first sentence of your Thank-You letter is your first impression with your donor in acknowledging their gift.  Get it right and they’ll read on.  Mess it up, and they’re done reading.

How do you mess up the first line of a Thank-You letter?  Make it boring and predictable.  Put your reader to sleep, like this:

“On behalf of the staff and Board of the XYZ organization, thank you for your recent gift.”

Snoozer.  If your letter sounds like that, it’s time to change it!

How do you start your letter off on the right foot?  Make it warm, sincere, and most of all, unexpected.  Imagine a letter that starts like this:

“We needed you and you were there.”

or like this:

“You just made my day!”

The point of your Thank-You letter is to let the donor know you got their gift and that you apreciate it.  When you can be real and authentic in your letter, not dry and institutional, you will score points with your donor.  Donors love knowing that they’ve made a good decision to give to your organization.  And your well-written, warm letter will give them that reassurance.

 

Want more help with Thank-You letters?  Check out my new book “Get Fully Funded: How to Raise the Money of Your Dreams.”  In it, you’ll find a whole chapter on donor acknowledgement, including a recipe for a great Thank-You letter, a list of thanking words you can use, and more examples of opening sentences.  Check it out at www.getfullyfunded.com/get-fully-funded-books.